Critical mineralsBritain’s black-mass problemThe thorny business of recycling electric-vehicle batteriesRecycling electric-vehicle batteries is tricky. But they are full of critical minerals—lithium, cobalt and other commodities—that are vital to the green transition. At the moment most ev manufacturers in Britain crush old batteries into a material called “black mass”, which is then exported to other countries—mostly, experts say, to China. There the black mass is dissolved in acid before the most useful materials are separated and processed.ev batteries can last for 15-20 years; since the ev fleet on Britain’s roads is young, the amount of valuable stuff that is currently being exported is small. But as volumes grow, so will the pressure to recycle closer to home. According to Green Alliance, a think-tank, recycling could provide 43% of the minerals required for domestic manufacturers to meet demand for batteries by 2040. Western countries are keen to reduce their depen
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